Eristalis intricarius
Encyclopedia
Eristalis intricarius is a Europe
an species of hoverfly
. It is a furry bee
mimic
, superficially resembling Merodon
, though Merodon have all black leg tibiae, as opposed to partly yellow. E. intricarius is somewhat variable in colour pattern, and some attempts at naming varieties have been tentatively made. Flight time of adults in the UK
are from March to September. It is generally widespread, but in seldom seen in large numbers. Habitat is woodland or marshland.
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an species of hoverfly
Hoverfly
Hoverflies, sometimes called flower flies or syrphid flies, make up the insect family Syrphidae. As their common name suggests, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults of many species feed mainly on nectar and pollen, while the larvae eat a wide range of foods...
. It is a furry bee
Bee
Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila...
mimic
Mimic
In evolutionary biology, mimicry is the similarity of one species to another which protects one or both. This similarity can be in appearance, behaviour, sound, scent and even location, with the mimics found in similar places to their models....
, superficially resembling Merodon
Merodon
Merodon is a large genus of bee–like hoverflies. The majority of the species are centered around the Mediterranean and it is the second largest hoverfly genus in Europe with more than 50 European species. It is distributed over the Palaearctic and Afrotropic ecozones, with most European species...
, though Merodon have all black leg tibiae, as opposed to partly yellow. E. intricarius is somewhat variable in colour pattern, and some attempts at naming varieties have been tentatively made. Flight time of adults in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
are from March to September. It is generally widespread, but in seldom seen in large numbers. Habitat is woodland or marshland.